Water Line Question?

[100Acre]

Ha, made you look! But seriously have you ever seen or found these old wooden, wrapped in wire, water lines?
My farm was built in 1939, but the spring that feeds my neighborhood has been established since 1931. There are a few remnants of this old system here on the farm. The only other places I’ve seen this was near the tiny mountain hamlet known as Mammoth Montana, in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF. There was a fast moving Creek a few miles above the town and this is how they got their water. I’ve also seen this at a mine in Colorado off the Alpine Loop. Before steel or plastic pipes were made, this was how folks “piped” their water! Imagine trying to make this today. Lost arts!

 

[Smitty335]

Ha, made you look! But seriously have you ever seen or found these old wooden, wrapped in wire, water lines?
My farm was built in 1939, but the spring that feeds my neighborhood has been established since 1931. There are a few remnants of this old system here on the farm. The only other places I’ve seen this was near the tiny mountain hamlet known as Mammoth Montana, in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF. There was a fast moving Creek a few miles above the town and this is how they got their water. I’ve also seen this at a mine in Colorado off the Alpine Loop. Before steel or plastic pipes were made, this was how folks “piped” their water! Imagine trying to make this today. Lost arts!

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I've heard about it, most contractors just throw it back in the ditch when back filling, I would love to have a short section of it.

 

[Blownzuki]

We excavated some of it. Rochester Indiana was heated by a central steam plant and all the pipelines were wood.

 

[trigger]

I've heard rumor that there are wood water mains still in use in some of the old cities. As long as they're not exposed to open air they don't rot out.

 

[Remington]

I've heard rumor that there are wood water mains still in use in some of the old cities. As long as they're not exposed to open air they don't rot out.

yup, In Ann Arbor, alot of the sewer lines for homes like my parents still have are called Orange Burg. Same type and wet wrapped. Some collapsed and in most cases if u didnt touch it your good

 

[Blownzuki]

We have been replacing orange burg pipe like crazy. The problem with it is it breaks apart on the inside and will make like a bubble where solids and paper will collect.

 

[Red500]

Are they made of multiple strips like a barrel or are they hollowed solid pieces.

 

[100Acre]

Are they made of multiple strips like a barrel or are they hollowed solid pieces.

More like a barrel with staves and possibly tongue n groove. TWSS

 

[Blownzuki]

I have seen both, made like a barrel and hollowed out logs.

 

[Red500]

I knew about wooden pipe before (nomo) but I don't think I've ever seen any.

 

[TOGR]

From Wikipedia:

From the 16th century, as wooden mains water systems were installed, firefighters would dig down the pipes and drill a hole for water to fill a “wet well” for the buckets or pumps. This had to be filled and plugged afterwards, hence the common US term for a hydrant, 'fireplug'.

 

[Remington]

We have been replacing orange burg pipe like crazy. The problem with it is it breaks apart on the inside and will make like a bubble where solids and paper will collect.

That $hit is bad! They had it throughout my parents neighborhood From the 60’s. There Slowly replacing it.

 

[Smitty335]

We have been replacing orange burg pipe like crazy. The problem with it is it breaks apart on the inside and will make like a bubble where solids and paper will collect.

They came out with that during WW II due to the metal shortage. We have very little of it left in the ground, tree roots mostly is the cause of failure.

 

[skit_ill]

I'm a subsurface utility tech. I have been digging up utilities and surveying them for 9 years. I have only ever seen one wooden water main. It was in Avon Lake, OH. They do exist, but it caught me off guard. They told me I was looking for a 12 inch water main, but I wasn't expecting to see a wooden line.